Steading (North Range), Carstairs Mains

The steading, dating from 1825 and designed by William Burn, originally comprised four ranges around a square courtyard, with a farmhouse attached to the south. The westernmost range has been demolished, but the remaining ranges are largely unaltered externally. The steading is constructed of stugged ashlar with droved and broached dressings, and has piended slate roofs.

The north range is a two-story, near-symmetrical elevation facing the courtyard, with ten bays. It features a central pediment containing a clock face within the tympanum, and a birdcage bellcote at the apex. Stabling occupies the outer bays, with four cart arches in the centre. The stables contain cast-iron columns to the stalls. Above the stalls is a loft with regularly placed rectangular windows, retaining the original three-pane glazing arrangement in sash windows, and a timber sliding ventilator grille to the lower part.

The east range is two-story and seven bays wide, with wide opposing doors at the north end, possibly originally a threshing barn. Most internal divisions were removed in 1989, and the openings remain mostly unaltered.

The south range is single-story and eight bays wide, with a stack to the west. It likely served as a dairy, calf-houses, and feed stores. A widening has been made to the east, and the eastern half of the roof has been replaced with corrugated sheet metal.

The farmhouse, adjoining the south range via a passage, is an L-plan two-story gabled building. It features a narrow, lean-to porch to the southwest re-entrant corner, supported by a single Doric column. Gabled ends incorporate canted bay windows at ground level. Otherwise, the windows are single-light, with a hood mould to the ground. All windows now have modern plate glass glazing, and there's a flat-roofed dormer over the porch. The roof has end coped skews with skew blocks, and tall diamond stacks remain only on the north side. Slate roofs are present.

Although the west range has been removed, the steading remains largely unaltered externally. The farmhouse has suffered from the removal of stacks and replacement of glazing, but it remains an important part of the overall composition. Architectural plans for the steadings are held in the National Monuments Record of Scotland.